New model for newsroom learning fuels digital storytelling

Claire Tighe has watched talented reporters reach for more. They have the instincts, the sources, the stories worth telling — and they’re driven to tell them in new ways. 

Claire Tighe, Deputy Managing Editor

In her role as deputy managing editor at the Maine Trust for Local News, she works with reporters eager to engage more readers through multimedia formats. The 120 talented journalists she works with are deeply skilled in reporting and writing. But as Tighe puts it: "Having a hammer is one thing, but we also need a screwdriver. We need a ruler. We also need a pack of nails." 

Tighe arrived at the Maine Trust with a dynamic résumé. She brings product development and startup experience in podcasts and newsletters — from smaller and larger, well-resourced companies. She has seen the positive impacts of strong investment in people and their professional development. 

Given the fierce competition for audience attention online, Tighe recognized a need to establish an ongoing learning model to equip journalists with the time, tools and training to keep pace with rapidly evolving digital audience trends.

"The Maine Trust newsroom reporters and editors and support staff are very, very hungry for access to new software and tools," said Tighe. "Things they've heard about but haven't had the budget or bandwidth to experiment with. "

As the newsroom pushed into newsletters, social media and app-based storytelling, reporters needed continuous learning opportunities and access to new resources.

Tighe's answer: "Skill Me," a new model for newsroom learning that puts powerful digital tools directly into reporters' hands. In short, focused modules, participants get access to digital workflow software and learn how to use it in a matter of hours. The goal is simple: Bridge the gap between "I want to do this" and actually doing it.

Tighe pitched "Skill Me" as part of the National Trust for Local News' first-ever News Innovation Sprint, sponsored by the Google News Initiative. The sprint empowered NTLN's journalists across Maine, Colorado and Georgia to develop and pitch ideas to grow the reach and impact of their work. Ultimately, volunteer judges awarded $55,000 in grants to six projects following the company-wide pitch competition. Judges awarded $10,000 to bring "Skill Me" to life.

The first “Skill Me” module centers on Descript, an AI-based transcription and audio/video creation tool that Maine Trust journalists have already begun using.

Recently, Tighe worked with a first-time community reporter covering a new cross-country ski trail. The reporter was experimenting with video reporting and Descript for the first time. 

"She came back and had pretty good video," Tighe said. "We hooked her up with Descript, which is a very, very easy audio-video multimedia software that pretty much anyone can use. You don't have to have video training to use it. And she was able to create a 52-second video companion to her story."

With the $10,000 grant, Tighe can train more than 20 staff members and boost the newsroom's digital content production dramatically. 

"Our audiences are on a lot of different platforms. They're expecting us to be everywhere," she said. "This is positioning us to be able to continue to meet our audience wherever they go."